Visiting hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. daily {including weekends and holidays}. Evening visits from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. are permitted on Thursday through Sunday only, and state approved holidays that fall on Monday. Weekend and holiday visits are limited to two-hour intervals. Visits are a minimum of one hour in length; however, this may be increased depending upon the number of visits scheduled for that day.

Rules:

All visitors must be on the inmates approved visiting list. It is recommended that you arrive as early in the day as possible so that proper arrangements can be made in time for your visit. It may take time to locate an individual inmate for a visit, so please be patient.

Have proper identification with you, either one photo I.D. or two non-photo I.D.s. Acceptable forms of photo identification include any one of the following: drivers license, photo welfare, military, bank, employee or school I.D., passport, citizenship or naturalization card, Liquor Control Board or Commonwealth non-driver I.D. card. Any two of the following are acceptable non-photo identification: Voters Registration card, Medicare card, learners permit or temporary drivers license, vehicle registration, birth certificate, school identification, immunization record or a Social Security card. Identification beyond the expiration date will not be acceptable. You will not be permitted to visit without proper identification.

Please take a number upon your arrival and wait for the Officer to call for you to begin processing. If you travel by private vehicle, you will be asked to register the year, make, model and license number of your vehicle.

The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections has stringent rules regarding visits of minor children on inmates who have been convicted of physical or sexual offenses towards minors. Parents with any concerns or questions should consult first with the Visiting Officer before allowing minor children to visit. Additionally, all minor children must be accompanied by a parent/legal guardian, county children/youth service agency staff, or an adult{s} immediate family member{s} approved by the parent/legal guardian to accompany the child. There must be an authorized 313 form on file for each child. The individual{s} accompanying a minor is responsible for the welfare and behavior of the minor and any damages the minor may cause while in the visiting room or on state property. Failure to keep children under control may result in early termination of your visit.

Embracing is permitted at the beginning and end of each visit.

All visitors are subject to search upon entering the institution, while at the institution and before leaving the institution, including a search with all drug detection equipment. If you refuse to be searched before entering the institution, your visiting privileges may be denied. If you refuse to be searched while in the institution or upon leaving the institution, you may be detained until the appropriate law enforcement authorities arrive.

Cameras, tape recorders, radios, and handbags are not permitted in the visiting area.

Inmates placed in Disciplinary Custody status have their visiting privileges restricted. Inmates in segregation placement are not permitted to receive holiday, evening or weekend visits.

Inmates are permitted to receive as many visits in a month as there are Sundays in that particular month. Individuals visiting during the morning and the afternoon visiting periods are counted as one visit, provided they do not leave the visiting room. Visitors may visit more than one inmate providing the Superintendent has approved a valid reason.

The visiting desk is closed on weekdays from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Visitors will not be processed in during this time period. During weekends and holidays, the visiting desk will remain open for processing visitors throughout the entire visiting period. Up to five visitors may visit at one time, space permitting.

Lockers are available to hold visitors personal belongings not permitted in the visiting room. A $10.00 deposit is required, which will be reimbursed to the visitor when the locker key is returned.
Vending machines are available in the visiting room. Food items are not permitted to be taken into or out of the visiting room. Money in the possession of an inmate is considered contraband and will be subject to a misconduct. Therefore, it is recommended that no money be brought into the visiting room. Tokens may be purchased at the gate before entering the visiting room.

Individuals visiting an inmate are not permitted to leave money for the inmate they are visiting. Funds, in the form of a money order or a certified check, will only be accepted via the mail.

Please use good judgment and discretion in dress and behavior so as not to embarrass others in the visiting area.

Ex-offenders must have prior approval from the Superintendent to visit any inmate.

Do not bring any kind of gift to the institution. Remember, inmates are not permitted to take anything from the visiting area.

Special visits may be approved depending on exceptional or extraordinary needs. See Visiting Desk Officer for information.

Any visitor appearing to be under the influence of alcohol or controlled substance will not be permitted to enter the institution.

All inmates are informed of changes that may occur in visiting regulations. It is the responsibility of each inmate to inform his visitors of these changes.

Please remember that any violation of visiting regulations may result in the suspension of visiting privileges.

It is against the law to bring any form of contraband into a correctional institution. Act 334 of Dec. 6, 1972 {18 PA C.S. 5122, 5123} provides for up to $10,000 in fines and five years imprisonment for any one convicted of bringing contraband, such as firearms, liquor or drugs, into a prison or for anyone convicted of providing an inmate with a weapon, tool or any implements of escape. Please do not violate your visiting privilege by bringing unauthorized materials with you. If you have any questions about what you may or may not bring, PLEASE ASK!

Rules governing institutional visits are found in Administrative Directive 812, Inmate Visiting. A copy has been made available to each inmate. It is the inmates responsibility to inform visitors as to the proper procedures, rules and regulations.

SCI Graterford is located just north of Collegeville off of Rte 29

__________________

Get well soon David! You are in our thoughts

The Following User Says Thank You to California Sunshine For This Useful Post:

When inmates are transferred to the OSU (unit outside the wall of Graterford, but still on the prison grounds), visiting changes. Visits are from 6 to 9 pm on Thursday and Friday, and from 9 am to 6 pm on Saturday and Sunday. You still go into the main lobby to register and purchase photo tickets. You will not need as many tokens, if any at all. You are permitted to bring food to the visit. Food must either still be sealed in the container from the store, or in a clear plastic container, if homemade. Beverages must be in sealed plastic bottles from the store. No metal cans, glass, or foil are permitted. Plates, "silverware", cups, napkins, ice, and a microwave are provided. Leave the food in your car until after you register. The OSU visiting room is right beside the parking lot.

Graterford also has a Death Row. Visiting is still much the same although there are no evening visits and they are all Non Contact visits (through glass).
In the main visiting area for death row, at present there are only 2 visiting booths.